Plant box



Nov. 17, 1953 G. M. AcToN 2,659,180

PLANT BOX Filed Sept. lO, 1949 Snventor Cftornegs Patented Nov. 17, 1953 PLANT BOX VGrant M. Acton, Arkansas City, Kans., assignor to Acton Products, Inc., Arkansas City, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Application September 10, 1949, Serial No. 115,057

2 Claims.

This invention relates to plant boxes and more particularly to such a box having one compartment containing soil and plant roots and another compartment containing water and/or a water and plant food solution with means for gradually feeding the water and food to the soil and plant roots.

The objects yof the invention are to provide a -container or box with an upper compartment, for

soil and plant roots, a lower compartment for water and plant food solution and a material having capillary capacity extending into the respective compartments for feeding the water and plant food solution into the soil; to provide a plant box with openings leading to a lower compartment for containing water, the level of which is spaced from the bottom of an upper compartment for movement of the air between the water level and bottom of the upper compartment; to provide a plant box structure which is simple and economical to manufacture of preferably non-corrosive metal; and to provide a sturdy, attractive plant box which is efficient in feeding water and food to plants therein for relatively long period without attention.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the plant box.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the plant box illustrating the normal location of the soil, water and plant food solution and the capillary members for feeding said solution to the soil.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the plant box on the line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a plant box adapted to be constructed of sheet metal, preferably non-corrosive, and so formed as to have an upper compartment 2 for containing soil 3 and roots 4 of plants '5. The box also has a lower compartment 6 for containing water or a solution of water and soluble plant food 1. The lower compartment l; preferably has openings 8 at the ends of the box and the water level preferably is spaced below the upper compartment whereby air may circulate through the openings 8 and over the water. Suitable material having capillary capacity such as wicking 9 is arranged in the box whereby the ends of said wicking extend into the respective upper and lower compartments to gradually feed the water and plant food solution into the soil which draws said water and plant food from the wicking to feed the roots 4.

It is preferable that the box be constructed of as few pieces as possible, each of which may be formed by suitable dies for quantity production at a minimum of cost and yet provide an att-ractve box. The preferred structure consists of spaced side members IB and II arranged in vertical planes. The ends of the side members are preferably arcuate as at I2 and the upper edges turned outwardly to form flanges I3, said flanges preferably being rolled or otherwise formed to provide an arcuate cross section with the edges it turned downwardly.

The lower edges of the side members I0 and II are provided with flanges I5 which are turned inwardly and upwardly in spaced relation to the side members to form seats I6 adapted to receive downturned flanges Il on a bottom member I8 which forms the bottom of the lower compartment 5. The flanges I'I are arranged on the sides of the bottom member I8 and are substanf tially coextensive in length with the flanges I 5 on ther side members lil and II and When the flanges il are placed in the seats IE the flanges l5 are crimped to securely fasten the bottom and side members in a rigid assembly.

The ends of the bottom member I8 are turned upwardly, as at I9, adjacent the ends of the flanges i5 to provide upwardly and outwardly sloping ends 2t of the lower compartment, said ends preferably terminating adjacent the vertical center of the side members IIJ and II, adjacent the arcuate edge I2 thereof, the upper edges 2| of said ends 2li being turned inwardly and rolled to add strength and enhance the appearance of said edges. rIhe side edges 22 of the ends 2li engage the inner faces of the side members I8 and II and said engaging edges are preferably soldered or otherwise secured to the sides I0 and EI to provide a watertight joint. Also the s1des of the bottom member I8 are soldered or -otherwise provided with a seal at the line of intersection with the side members as at 23 to provide a watertight joint whereby said lower compartment is adapted to contain the water and plant food solution 1.

Extending between the side members II) and I I and preferably formed of sheet metal is a bot tom 24 of the upper compartment 2, said bottom preferably being arranged below the upper edges 2I of the ends 2B of the lowercompartment and above the bottom member I 8 to provide suicient capacity in the lower compartment for containing water and plant food'solution 1. The'bottom tion and downwardly turned edges 28 to en-..

hance the appearance thereof and also increase the rigidity of the structure.

The side edges of the bottom 24 and end mem-` bers 26 are provided with: upwardly turned flanges 29 and 30 respectively engaging the inner faces of the side members. i0 and H, the ends of said flanges 29 and 30 -b'eing cut on an angle to provide mitered joints 3| therebetween, and said flanges are preferably suitably secured to the side. members l0. and Il as by spot weld-.- ing or the like to x the bottom- 24 and end members `2.6. to. said side members and provide sufficient strengthY thereto whereby the upper compartment will support the weight of the` soil 3. and plants. growing therein. It is tov be noted thatwhenthe sheet metal parts of the box are formed and secured as. described, the structure forms a rigid, attractive. plant box, and the curvedanges I3. and .21 onthe upper edges. of theside members t0 andl il and. end` members 26 may be used. as. handv holds for facilitating moving of the box.A

Suitably arranged in the; bottom member 24 are` aV plurality .of spaced transverse. sl-ots- 32 through which strips of wicking 9- or other material having capillarycapacity extend', said slots preferably, being substantially the same size as the. transverse dimensions of the wicking 9, whereby said` wicking. may be inserted through the slots. and` held. in position. without compressing said wicking. The lower ends of the wicking: extend downwardly into the lower compartmentA and along the bottom I8v thereof whereby it is-v immersed inthe water and plant food solution andV the, upperl end of the wicking. extends upwardly into the-soil3 toproyide adequate contact therewith. for feeding the water. and plant food solution. to the roots 4 of the plant 5. While the wicking; 9 may have any desiredL cross section it is preferable that it bey flatstripsto increase the contact. areav with the water and. plant foodsolution.. and. with the soil.

In. using. a. plant box constructed as described, the upper ends ofA the wicking: are held andsoil packed therearound to assure that the/wicking willextend upwardly into the soil, as` illustrated in Fig.v 2. Then additional soil may bev placed in. the box and the plant roots located therein or seed. planted as desired. TheI plant. box is then placed'in a suitable location. and a mixture of. water. and. soluble plantfood.; solution poured intoone.- of. the endopenings` 8 wherebythe level of said. water and plantfood solution iss spacedslightly. below thebottom- 24. While e the: level ofthefsolution could. be above said bottom, it. is preferable to keep the same below whereby-the control of thefeeding of. water andlplant food solutionis. by the capillary action.- of. thefwck.; ing. Also.. the spacing between thelevel of the solution andthe bottom-.2.4. provides a passage for, air through. theendopenings 8f andethrough the.n space,4 between the solution and.- `the bottom l2l.v With. this..arrangemenhcapillaryaction` of thai-.wicking will.. gradually feedrtheewater. and

plant food solution into the upper compartment, the soil drawing the solution from the wicking and feeding it to the plant as it requires it and the box requires no further attention for a period of from one to two weeks, at which time the water and plant food solution may be replenished.

It is believed obvious that I have provided an attractive flower box adapted to be made from sheet metal and support plant life for relatively long periods without attention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.. A plant .box of the character described comprising.,y a metal container having spaced side walls,'said sidewalls having lower edges adapted to rest on a support surface for the container, a bottom wall extending between the side walls above the lower edges thereof whereby said bottorn Wall is above the supporting surface for the container, upwardly and outwardly sloping end walls on the bottom wall, the side edges of the bottom and end walls being secured to the side walls to form watertight joints, said end walls terminating substantially midway the height of the side walls, a partition extending between the side walls below the upper edges of the end walls and in spaced relation to the bottom wall to forni a space between the partition and the bottom wall'for receiving a quantity of water and plant food with the surface of said water and plant food* spaced below the partition, said partitionV terminating in spaced relation to the end walls, end' members on the partition and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom and spaced from the upwardly and outwardly sloping end walls on the bottom wall to form an upwardly opening passage between the end walls and end members at each endl of the container communicating with the space. between thebottom wall and partition whereby air circulates through the passages and space over the surface of the water and plant food., upwardly and inwardly turned flanges, respectively, on the partition and end members secured to the side walls whereby the side walls, endV members' and partition dene an open top soil'receptacle', outwardly turned curved flanges on theA upper edges of the end members, said partition having a plurality of apertures therein, and strips of" material having capillary capacity extending through said` apertures with end portions` projecting into water and plant foodv containedlin the water-receiving space and into the soil in'. the soil receptacle whereby water and plalnt food are elevated by said strips into the soi'.

A plant box of the character described comprising; a metal container having spaced side walls, an outwardly turned curved flange on the upper edge of said side walls, inwardly and upwardly turned flanges on' the lower edges of said side' walls', said lower edges 0f theY side walls being adapted to rest on a support for the container, a bottomwall extending between theside walls and spaced above the lower edges thereof, downwardly turned flanges on the sides of said bottom wall .and seating between the sidewalls and upwardly turned flanges on the lower edge thereofwhereby saidbottom wall is above the lower. edgesv of. the side lwallsand supportingsurface.. therefor, upwardly and outwardly sloping. end. wallston thefbottom. wall and havingl side' edges.secured, tothe sidewalls, said end'- walls terminating substantially midway the height of the side walls, an inwardly turned curved ange on the upper edge of each of said end walls, a partition extending between the side walls in spaced relation to the bottom wall and below the upper edges of the end walls to form a space between the partition and bottom wall for receiving a quantity of water and plant food with the surface of said water and plant food spaced below the partition, said partition terminating in spaced relation to the ends of the side walls, end members on the partition and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom and spaced from the upwardly and outwardly sloping end walls on the bottom wall to form an upwardly opening passage between the end walls and end members at each end of the container communicating with the space between the bottom wall and partition whereby air circulates therethrough over the surface of the water and plant food, upwardly and inwardly turned flanges, respectively, on the partition and end members secured to the side walls whereby the side walls, end members, and partition dene an open top soil receptacle, outwardly turned curved anges on the upper edges of the end members, said partition having a plurality of apertures therein, and strips ofmaterial having capillary capacity extending through said apertures with end portions projecting into water and plant food contained in the waterreceiving space and into the soil in the soil receptacle whereby water and plant food are elevated by said strips into the soil.

.GRANT M. ACTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 190,580 Hall May 8, 1877 1,133,836 Bolger Mar. 30, 1915 1,170,402 Bolger Feb. 1, 1916 1,229,022 Bolger June 5, 1917 1,305,434 Barlow June 3, 1919 1,601,259 Pettigrew Sept. 28, 1926 1,948,031 Guille Feb. 20, 1934 2,089,220 Norman Aug. 10, 1937 2,346,029 Jennings Apr. 4, 1944 2,463,719 Schackett Mar. 8, 1949 

